


Hollstein, Fast Food AU

by mek20019



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-10 04:39:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4377545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mek20019/pseuds/mek20019
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>One-shot based on post's AU suggestion:<br/>http://cup-of-hot-coffee.tumblr.com/post/118599158660/job-aus</p><p>‘You’re an employee and I have a crush on you so when you hand me the soft serve I accidentally grab it by the ice cream instead of the cone’ AU</p><p>Sorry if the spacing is incorrect.  I write it in Word first.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot based on post's AU suggestion:  
> http://cup-of-hot-coffee.tumblr.com/post/118599158660/job-aus
> 
> ‘You’re an employee and I have a crush on you so when you hand me the soft serve I accidentally grab it by the ice cream instead of the cone’ AU
> 
> Sorry if the spacing is incorrect. I write it in Word first.

“Yo, space cadet! Yes or no?” LaFontain’e voice had a tinge of impatience to it.  
“Hmm? Oh, uh, what?” Laura replied, obviously flustered.  
LaF shook her head. They had to admit that their Frosh-friend was genuinely endearing. “I said, ‘I’m getting a refill. Anyone else?’ Perry said no thank you and then you were ignoring me for the better part of two minutes. What’s got you so transfixed?”  
“Sure, more grape soda, please,” Laura answered as she deftly avoided LaF’s other question.  
As LaF returned with the drinks, Perry’s curiosity got the better of her. “LaF has a point, Laura. What’s on your mind? Need to talk about classes…guys…anything?”  
“No, everything’s great!” Laura retorted quickly. Too quickly for her hyper-observant, ginger friends. LaF turned and began scanning the fast-food place for the source of Laura’s distraction, while Perry investigated her on how living with Betty was going. A minute or two later LaF faintly heard, “Well, there are worse party animals on the fl—”  
“BOOM! Got it!” LaF proudly exclaimed as they turned back around towards their friends.  
“No you don’t,” Perry curtly interjected.  
“Uh huh, Perr, Hollis here was ogling Register One Girl.”  
Laura immediately blushed as she stammered out an excuse to defend herself. “Wha—I was—I was not. I mean, I’m facing the registers, so, yes, I suppose, I looked, I saw her, but she’s—that direction, I mean—is my line of vision, LaF. It’s just my line of vision.”  
A triumphant grin spread across LaF’s face. They pointedly turned to Perry to gloat. “Ha! Told ya!”  
“I concede that Register One Girl is more plausibly on Laura’s mind than Betty or journalism. Happy?”  
“Oh yes, ecstatic,” LaF responded.  
“Do you think she noticed?” Laura asked with an edge of panic in her voice.  
“Noticed what? You slack-jawed staring at her while she’s working?”  
“Oh, God, LaF! When you say it like that, I sound utterly creepy.” Laura covered her face with her hands, mortified at the suggestion.  
“Well, that’s ridiculous, Laura. She’s busy. She probably didn’t notice you at all,” Perry countered.  
“Oh,” Laura said, obviously deflated.  
“Not like that, Laura. She just preoccupied serving customers,” Perry said matter-of-factly.  
Laura shrugged and considered that perspective when LaF jammed two one-dollar bills into her palm. “Go get an ice cream cone, Laur.”  
“I don’t like ice cream,” Laura replied with caution and stubbornness.  
“One—that’s a lie. I’ve seen your fridge. Two—she’s the only worker at the counter and there are no customers at the moment. Go get an ice cream cone,” LaFontaine argued.  
“No, but thanks,” Laura said through gritted teeth.  
“Chicken.”  
Laura folded her arms and leaned forward. “I’m not going to go just because you call me a chicken. I’m not 12.”  
“No, you’re going to go because you really do want to go talk to her. LaF was, in her—their, sorry LaF, their—own way prodding you along,” Perry explained. LaF waved their hand to show no hard feelings, since they knew Perry had been trying to adjust to the pronoun change.  
“But…what if I say or do something stupid? You saw—she already makes me tongue-tied,” Laura pondered.  
“D’awwwww,” LaF said jokingly. “Hollis, take a deep breath, girl the hell up, and then go get an ice cream cone.”

 

“Hey…how can I help you?” the employee said with a deep, attractive voice.  
“Hey! Could I please have a vanilla ice cream cone please?” Laura knew her voice was already too nervous, too chipper, but she honestly couldn’t help herself. They exchanged money. “Ooh, Carmilla, now that’s a name you don’t see every day.”  
The worker just smirked and went to the soft serve machine. She returned. “Here’s your cone…” Carmilla held the cone just out of comfortable reach for the tiny customer. The pause grew. “…This is where you’d say your name, please.”  
“OH! Laura. It’s Laura, Laura Hollis.” The repetition poured out of Laura’s mouth before she could edit herself.  
That damning smirk appeared again. “Well, LauraLaura Hollis,” she moved the cone closer to the nervous-yet-decidedly-adorable customer, “I hope you enjoy your ice cream.”  
Laura, flustered and admittedly mesmerized, nodded, thanked Carmilla…and completely clutched the vanilla, spiraled mush rather than the cone. The cone landed on the counter but before Carmilla could react, Laura had sprinted away.

 

“We have to go. Now,” Laura whispered hurriedly when she returned to the table.  
“What? Why?” Perry asked.  
“Explanation later. Leave now. Let’s go!” Laura pleaded. LaF and Perry gathered their things to leave. Laura turned and smacked full-force into Carmilla. “Oh, um, ow,” Laura sputtered.  
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were in a rush,” Carmilla said lightly. “I brought a wash cloth over for you—for your hand.”  
LaF’s and Perry’s eyes darted to Laura’s left hand, which was holding a handful of ice cream and fidgeting by Laura’s hip.  
As she looked at Register One Girl and how she looked at Laura, Perry formulated a plan. “Actually, LaFontaine and I were going to run across the street really quickly,” Perry said.  
“Yeah, we need some Cocoa Krispies. Ran out yesterday,” LaF said in support.  
Carmilla nodded and thought about how much she already liked these red-headed folks. “Funny how that works. Anyway, I was going to see if you wanted to try eating a dish of ice cream instead. You know, dishes tend to prevent you from directly holding frozen dairy products in your hand, but they’re still good. Hope that’s okay,” Carmilla offered teasingly.  
“Yes, that’d be fine,” Laura muttered as she saw her two friends scuttle away. Internally, Laura was cursing her clumsiness and how delusional she was. Up close, she saw how confident and laid back Carmilla was, which was in complete contrast to her. It didn’t help that she was being left behind by her friends. She just wanted to hide or at the very least not embarrass herself further in front of Carmilla.  
“Well, good,” Carmilla twisted her body sheepishly. “Laura…could I join you for a bit? I have 20 minutes for break and I wouldn’t mind enjoying some dessert too.”  
“I think I might like that very much,” Laura beamed as Carmilla’s smirk turned into a genuine, kind smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picks up exactly where the first one ended off.
> 
> [May be completely done; may have a third and final chapter idea].

"My Dad practically HOUNDED Perry, chasing her down for emergency contact information, asking about contingency plans and access routes. It was mortifying!"  
A small smile appeared on Carmilla's face. "Well, he must not have run Perry off too badly if you're still hanging out."  
"Oh, well, after I said goodbye to him, I dashed to her room and apologized profusely, 'I'm sorry, it's just us and he's protective and just worried' and like that--BUT! that is how I met LaF too. They were attempting to hack the business department's website? I know, LaF was there, angry on the computer, muttering about endowments and alumni support." Carmilla nodded politely to show she was still engaged. "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I've been babbling on and on about me. It's just those two are super amazing, like, I would have moved back home without them amazing."  
"School that bad, Freshman?" Carmilla lightly teased.  
"No, just...a challenge is a challenge--and it's almost easier with others having your back."  
"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Carmilla said wistfully.  
"And about yourself? Who is Carmilla?" Laura asked.  
"Oh, well," Carmilla leaned forward in the fastfood chain's standard booth, "I prefer to have an air of mystery."  
"Oh, do you now?" Laura mirrored Carmilla's motions, leaning forward until only half a foot of space kept them from being face-to-face.  
"Damn, Hollis, mighty fine journalism skills you've got there," she arrogantly and playfully cocked an eyebrow.

They shared a silent, electric-yet-comforting moment together.

"I'm genuinely upset I have to do this, Laura, but I have to get back to work." Carmilla pointed towards the counter to a swarm of customers and one fuming manager.  
"Oh gosh, I didn't even realize!"  
"Well, Kyle--the self-important tool in the white button-up--has been texting me for the last hour or so and just started motioning at me. He looked a bit deranged the last time, so...back to work."  
Laura gasped. "What? No! 'Last hour?'" She reached for Carmilla's arm and twisted until she could read her watch. "How have we talked over two hours?!"  
Carmilla nonchalantly shrugged, "Because we wanted to, Cutie." She pointedly didn't move her arm from Laura's grasp and, instead, intertwined Laura's hand into hers.  
Laura blushed instantaneously and blurted out, "Another date?!"  
Carmilla genuinely laughed. "Yeah, Thor, whenever and whatever works for you. Let me give you--yeah, I know, Kyle, one more minute!--my phone number."  
"Yes! Okay," Laura said as she found her phone. "Oh crap! Six missed calls and some texts."  
"Tick tock, Tiny Lois Lane."

"I'm sorry!" Laura screeched as she rushed into Perry's car.  
"Damn, Laura," LaF said as Perry cut them off.  
"It's fine. How'd everything go?"  
"AH! We have a date for Friday!" Laura squealed excitedly.

 

"I'm so nervous I'm going to throw up," Laura complained.  
"Please don't. It will be purple and I just finished tidying up."  
"Perry!" Laura was shocked.  
LaF came to Perry's defense. "Well, if your diet consisted of something other than grape soda and cookies, Perry wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Besides, calm down. Carmilla will be here soon and you wouldn't want to scare off the charmingly disaffected Register One Girl with the contents of your stomach."  
"What are you two doing anyway?" Perry inquired.  
"AHHHHH! I don't know and that's also adding a layer of intense panic," Laura speedily explained. "What if I'm underdressed or overdressed or allergic or it's something I hate or--"  
Perry quickly kneeled beside Laura at her computer desk.  
"Laura, your outfit is very cute and it will work for whatever. Not to pass judgment but Regis--Carmilla, from my first impression of her, doesn't seem like she'd be up for, I don't know, a five-star restaurant and waltzing on the first date."  
"Yeah--fourth date, definitely, but not the first date, Hollis," LaF chimed in.  
Perry began again, "So that's squared away--to what are you allergic?"  
"Um, nothing actually," Laura replied.  
"Okay then. And what's something you truly hate?"  
"...Bok choy."  
"Okay, and?"  
"I don't know, Perr, I'm just nervous. She makes me nervous!"  
"So, for advice: breathe, don't order anything with bok choy, and just enjoy the night. Think of the first time you met! You said yourself you had *no* idea how you two talked for so long. Maybe it'll be just like--"

*a knock came from the door*

"Best of luck, Laura," LaF said as they lifted her physically out of her desk chair and ushered her to the door.

"Hey," Carmilla used as a greeting.  
"Hey!" Laura exclaimed back.

Perry and LaF were saying pleasantries, but for both Carmilla and Laura, no one else even registered to them in that moment.

 

Walking outside the dorm hall, Carmilla started, "I know it's a bit cliché but I was thinking dinner and a movie? I also have four contingency plans if you'd rather we didn't. I thought Papa Hollis would be proud of that."  
"Great!"  
"Great...for the dinner and movie?"  
"Yes. Sorry, yes!"  
"Okay then," Carmilla stated. "I know this small, real Chinese food place near campus?"  
"*BOK CHOY*" Laura's brain screamed internally. "Perfect," Laura said out loud.

 

"I think that waiter hates you, just so you know."  
Laura gasped animatedly. "Stop that right now! You said you were going to be nice about it," she said as they both left the restaurant, laughing loudly.  
"I did. I did say that...but you spilled like four different times. --And ran into him while going to the bathroom. --And hit him--"  
"ACCIDENTALLY!"  
"--accidentally while re-enacting your 'LaF tried to con me into being an experiment' story."  
"I said sorry!"  
"...Yes, but sorry didn't unhit him in the face."  
"Please," Laura pleaded. "You said you'd be nice, Carm!"  
A deep breath escaped the brunette's mouth as she moved closer to walk beside Laura. "Nice is letting you call me Carm--and, you're right, he probably doesn't hate you."  
Laura sighed in relief. "Thank you."  
"Yeah," Carmilla said, "You probably already have a friend request from him. 'Hey, you smacked me in the face tonight--'"  
"CARM!" Laura laughed and held onto Carmilla's arm, trying to distract her.  
"--and I brought you some pork soup. Wanna hang out sometime?"  
"Okay, but that soup was AMAZING. Concede that at least."  
Carmilla's laughter faded and turned into a wide smile. "Concede," she said as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

That familiar comfortable and electric silence surrounded them again.

"We have another stop before the movie, Cutie."  
"What? Where?" Laura asked, her interest piqued.

 

 

"Carm, I really don't think we should be here."  
"I'm going to assume that me telling you I do this at least once a week won't help you see we're fine or reassure you in any way?"  
Laura bit her lip and considered that for a moment--and that pause was all the hesitation Carmilla needed. She laced her hand in Laura's and guided her through the door at the top of the stairs of the College of Letters and Sciences building on the campus of Silas University.

The two ladies stood, holding hands, on the roof top, to watch a gorgeous sunset in complete peace and solitude (except for each other).  
"Oh...wow. What an incredible view," Laura breathlessly said. Carmilla finally felt Laura's hand relax in her own.  
Carmilla's eyes flickered towards and finally held onto Laura's silhouette. "Yeah, yes, it is."  
Laura's attention went back to Carmilla. "How'd you find out about this place?" She began subconsciously rubbing her thumb in circles on the back of Carmilla's hand, perhaps trying to coax something personal out of her, to make her less of a mystery.

Carmilla shrugged slightly. "Got bored with a required Philosophy class on ethics. Escaped at break and found myself here."  
"Ah, well, good. Great first date place find, huh?" Laura joked, trying to hide her insecurities and to downplay just how much she already seemed to like this mysterious yet intriguing and wonderfully magnetic woman she barely knew.

A solemn small smile, for lack of a better word, crossed over Carmilla's face. "Well, maybe. I guess I'm hoping so. I--well, this is the first time I've shared...taken anyone up here. It's usually a place for me to contemplate or de-stress or..." Carmilla turned and faced Laura. "It's just my favorite place on campus."  
"Oh--ah, well, I'm truly honored, Carm," Laura said. Those words didn't seem enough to convey how Laura was feeling, so she acted instead. She rested and nestled her head on Carmilla's shoulder. A small, real smile appeared on Carm's face.

They watched the sun set like that for the next seemingly-endless but still-all-too-short minutes.


End file.
